warten auf, denken an: verbs with a fixed preposition, and the da- and wo- that go with them
CEFR B1 · part 2
edumaterial's parts within the level. The European framework does not subdivide them.
The future with werden, and why it is hardly ever usedBuilding the future with werden conjugated and the infinitive at the end, and —what…entweder…oder, nicht nur…sondern auch: two-part connectorsLinking two ideas with the five commonest pairs —entweder…oder, sowohl…als auch…der Deutsche, etwas Gutes: adjectives turned into nounsTurning an adjective into a noun, which German does every day: der Alte, die Kleine, das…Indirect questions: ob and the seven W-words, with the verb at the endAsking politely rather than bluntly, which is what they are really for: Wissen Sie, wo…könnten Sie, ich hätte gern: polite requests and wishesAsking for things without sounding blunt, which matters more in Germany than you would…obwohl, damit and um…zu: although, so that and in order toExpressing purpose and concession, which is what turns two loose sentences into an…The rule, in three lines
Many German verbs carry a preposition glued to them as part of the verb: warten AUF, denken AN, sich freuen AUF, sich interessieren FÜR, sprechen ÜBER. It cannot be worked out from English: it is learnt with the verb. And when what follows is a THING rather than a person, the preposition and pronoun fuse into one word: da + preposition, with an -r- if it starts with a vowel. To ask, the same with wo-.
The usual slip. Translating the preposition from English. warten takes auf and not for; denken takes an and not about. The second mistake is not fusing: «I think about it» is daran, one word, and not an es, which is what translation produces.
Why it catches you out. English keeps the preposition and adds the pronoun —«I think about it»— so nothing prepares you for gluing them into one word. The good news: the recipe is mechanical. da + preposition, and dar- if the preposition starts with a vowel.